French 5000 Runner Caught for EPO

Aug 10, 2012

By Peter GambacciniFrench 5000-meter runner Hassan Hirt, who didn't qualify for the event's final at these 2012 London Olympics, has been sent home by his team after testing positive for the blood booster EPO.L'Equipe reports that Hirt, who is 32, had the positive test in a urine sample taken in Rouen, France on August 3.Hirt ran 13:10.68 for 5000 meters in Paris on July 6, but he was 11th in his 5000-meter semi on Wednesday in 13:35.36 and did not advance. So sending him home is mainly symbolic, since he had no competitions left in London. But, you know ... it does mean he doesn't get to play in the Olympic Village anymore.Another French runner, steeplechaser Nour-Eddine Gezzar, had failed an EPO test in his build-up to the Olympics and was suspended from competition. More

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